Hindsight
by tmjohn72
Summary: Stiles and Derek are in a good place. Everything seems to be calming down until a mysterious woman appears looking for her missing fiancé. Her arrival sets a chain of events into motion that Derek and Stiles may not be able to survive. This is the continuation of "Foresight."
1. Chapter 1

Title: **Hindsight**** - I**

Author: tmjohn72

Rating: T

A/N - This took me a bit longer to write that I had planned. I had a group of ideas but had issues putting them into the story in a way that made me happy. At one point I had over 4,000 words and I just deleted it all and started over. That is a difficult thing to do but I believe it was worth it. So at last, here is chapter 1 of my continuation of "Foresight."

* * *

Stiles had always known his father to be a man with a deep sense of responsibility toward his job. He had memories of his father leaving for the night shift while his mother prepared to tuck him in for bed going as far back as he could remember. Stiles was amazed by his father. He was dedicated and intelligent, two necessary qualities for the town Sheriff. He was also aware that the dedication and intelligence came with a downside, especially when it came to important things like eating a healthy meal when there was work to be done.

"Stiles? Is everything okay?" The surprise on his face was valid. They hadn't made a plan for him to visit the department that night.

His father's eyes moved from his son to the lunch box in his hand. His eyes seemed to gloss over as the list of possible contents worked through his mind. A stack of paperwork sat next to him and a separate stack was on the other side, tiny in comparison. It didn't require effort to figure out which stack still needed to be worked on.

"I figured you might be hungry since I haven't seen you since yesterday."

"I'm sorry. I've been getting caught up on some paperwork."

Stiles nodded as though he understood. He placed the lunch box right in front of his father and then took a seat in the empty chair. "Which is why I'm not leaving until you eat two of the six things that are in there."

"Stiles..."

"You need to nourish your brain if you want to catch the bad guys."

His father relented. They had been having the same discussion since Stiles was old enough to drive and he knew it would be useless to try resist. His hands fumbled with the zipper and when he opened it he scanned the contents inside.

"You don't seem all that excited."

"It's great. I was just hoping for a steak and some french fries."

"Were you hoping for the triple bypass too?"

"You get that attitude from your mother." Stiles just rolled his eyes at the cheap attempt to distract him.

"I made you a ham sandwich on multigrain wheat bread. I also tossed in some trail mix, a granola bar that tastes like peanut butter, and two different types of grapes."

"Thank you," he managed to say, before pulling out the bag of grapes. He ate two and then ignored the way his son was smiling at him for giving in.

"I'm surprised you even have time to see me tonight. Shouldn't you be hanging out with Derek and the rest of the pack?"

Stiles shrugged. "They're trying to get ready for the full moon tomorrow. I'm keeping my distance so that they don't chew on my bones."

"If they're that dangerous I should..."

"No! Dad, we talked about this. If they feel threatened they'll attack, no matter who it is. They're extremely vulnerable during the full moon and Derek is trying his best to help them get accustomed to the effects it has on them."

"How is Derek able to handle it?"

"His family taught him. Trust me, everything is going to be fine."

"I hope so. I would feel a lot better if I knew that precautions were being made. More bodies turning up in the forest is all I need right now."

Stiles watched as his father shoved two more grapes into his mouth. He was trying to hide the stress but it was clearly visible. "Dad, are you alright?"

"I'm great."

"You're lying to me. Something has you stressed out."

"The Mayor. He's made a few comments about the rise in deaths over the last year and a half and he seems to think I'm not doing enough to protect people. The people in this town love him and if he makes enough noise I won't stand a chance at re-election in two years."

"Good thing you have a pack of werewolves on your side."

A knock at the door immediately disrupted their conversation. The door opened and one of the deputies stepped in. "Excuse me, Sheriff. I have someone at the front that is demanding to speak with you about a missing person."

"Show her to the conference room. I'll be right there."

The deputy nodded and then vanished back to wherever he came from. Stiles stood and met his father's eyes. "Promise me that you're going to eat."

"I promise, kid. Now get out of here."

Stiles made it all the way to the jeep before he realized his phone was missing. He returned to the office and found it on the floor against one of the chair legs. Picking it up, he immediately shoved it into his pocket before heading back. He came to a stop when he approached the conference room. The door was slightly open and he was able to hear the woman inside.

"...where did you last see Mr. Hughes?"

"I saw him two weeks ago. He told me that he had business here in Beacon Hills."

"Do you know who with?"

"I'm not sure." Stiles sensed the hesitation in her words and he immediately knew that she was lying. He heard his father sigh and he took that to mean that he had figured it out as well.

"What kind of work did Mr. Hughes do?"

"He was a traveling salesman. What difference does that make?"

"Quite a bit. We need to be able to determine whether he arrived in town and left or if he's still here. I realize these questions can be invasive but they really can provide insight into the people we're trying to locate. Please try to answer every question that you can."

"Fine. Just find my fiancé."

"We're going to do everything we possibly can. Do you have a photograph?"

"Yes," she said, and Stiles heard the sound of objects hitting against the table. Since he wasn't able to see her, he assumed that she was dumping the contents of her purse. When a deputy walked by and gave him an odd look he knew that it was time to leave.

"This is your fiancé?" His father's voice was an octave higher than normal. He returned to his spot beside the door once he was sure that no one else was around.

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"He looks familiar to me. What type of products does he sell?"

"He contracts weapons to law enforcement officials. He also contracts with other companies that do the same."

Stiles knew in that moment that the man she was looking for was a Hunter. He did the math in his head and he knew that they were in trouble.

"I know of someone that contracts firearms and supplies to our department. I'll begin my search with him. May I hold onto this photograph?"

"Of course."

"Where are you going to be staying?"

"The Highland Motel just outside of town. Here's my phone number."

Stiles was able to faintly hear the sound of the paper sliding across the table. "If you find anything out please keep me informed. I'm the only family he has and I need to know that some type of progress is being made."

When the door suddenly opened Stiles felt a sudden sense of panic. He walked away quickly but he was sure that they had both seen him and knew what his reaction meant. "Can I have a deputy drive you to the motel?"

"No, that won't be necessary. I drove here. Thank you for seeing me, Sheriff."

Stiles waited in his father's office though it didn't take long for him to arrive. "We have a problem."

"I know. It can't be a coincidence that the fiancé of the guy that tried to kill the pack is here looking for him just as the full moon hits. I just don't understand why she would come see you."

"Maybe she doesn't now about werewolves and what he really did?"

"I doubt it. I think she knows exactly what happened to him and for whatever reason she's trying to get you involved. She must have figured out that you knew what happened to him. She was trying to freak you out on purpose."

"You think she's trying to send the pack a message?"

"Yeah, I just don't know what the message is. I need to talk to Derek."

"I'm going with you."

"I don't think so. Normally I would be fine with you tagging along but tomorrow night is the full moon. They're already feeling the pull and it's making them edgy."

"So it's safe for you to go there alone?"

"They know my scent and they know I won't hurt them. Derek will be there and he'll have control."

His father folded his arms over his chest. They both knew that he was going to win the argument and his father was just going to have to deal with it, but it didn't mean his father had to be happy about it.

"Just be careful, okay?"

"They won't hurt me. I'm the First Lady, remember?"

That made his father smile. He lowered his arms to his side and some of the tension visibly slipped away. "I thought you told me never to call you that again."

"Yeah, you can't. I can call myself whatever I want."

"Whatever you say, Your Highness."

"I'll call you when we have a plan. You should act like it's a normal case and look into it."

"Won't that draw attention to a missing person?"

"Yes, but if she doesn't know that your son is dating the Alpha you not doing anything will make her suspicious. It's better to keep up appearances. Start with Chris Argent after you finish your food."

He left as quickly as he could, but his father's words of protest were audible until he made it to the front desk.

* * *

As he parked the jeep he had the thought that he was making a very bad decision. The truth was that he knew from personal experience just how touchy werewolves were around the full moon. He would have to rely on his own instincts to keep them safe because he had the feeling that if anything could make Derek lose touch with his anchor, it would be one of the pack accidentally hurting his mate. Scott and Issac met him before he could get inside the building.

"What are you doing here?"

"I have to talk to Derek."

"He wants you to leave. Boyd and Erica aren't doing so well with with the upcoming transformation."

"I know it's a bad time. I wouldn't be here if it weren't necessary." They both shared a look and then Isaac moved out of the way so that he could enter. The first thing that Stiles noticed was that the place smelled different. It wasn't an all out stench but it was definitely a warning that something abnormal was going on. When he was visible to everyone both Boyd and Erica they tensed up.

"Who let him in?," he heard Derek ask, as he emerged from the train. Stiles did his best to avoid drooling at the sight of him and he chalked his desire to jump Derek on his hormones and having nothing to do with the full moon. When he caught Derek staring at him for a long second he smirked.

"He said it's important."

"Stiles, you're making them agitated," Isaac warned, and he was suddenly aware that Isaac and Scott were standing on each side of him.

"I was bringing my dad some dinner at the station tonight. A woman showed up looking for her fiancé. She's trying to find the Hunter that we killed in the forest."

"Is she a Hunter too?"

"I'm not sure. I definitely think that she knows what kind of work he did. I just can't figure out why she'd go to the Sheriff's department to file a report"

"It could be to keep up appearances. She might have also been testing your father to see if he knew anything about werewolves and Hunters."

"He stayed calm. I don't think he gave anything away."

"We should check the body to be sure he's preserved."

"Why? If there were something to find it would have turned up by now. Right?"

"We need to be sure there isn't anything to find," Derek said. It was then that Stiles met Erica's eyes. They held the same spirit that they usually had but there was a look that told Stiles she was losing focus about who he was. It gave him the creeps to think that they could flip out and kill him and while he knew deep down that none of them wanted to, it didn't take away the threat of it happening thirteen times a year.

"Fine. I'm going with you."

"No. It will be good for Erica and Boyd to be able to roam the forest without the possibility of hurting anyone."

"They won't hurt me. I'm going."

Derek glared at him. "Last I was aware I was still the Alpha."

Stiles nodded. "Yes, you're the big bad Alpha. That means you have dominion over the werewolves. I'm not a werewolf, ergo I have free dominion over myself."

"Stiles, I'm not going to argue with you."

"Then it's settled. Scott and Isaac are with me and we'll meet you guys there."

Derek nodded after a moment of thinking. Thrilled that he had won two arguments in less than an hour, Stiles knew it was time to get out of there before Derek could change his mind. He drove Isaac and Scott to a spot at the edge of the forest. It was a dog park during the day so there was ample parking, especially since it was night and there weren't any other cars around.

"How far do we have to go? I was kind of out of it that night."

"Not that far. I'm already picking up the scent of blood. Your blood." Stiles met Isaac's eyes and he was surprised how uncomfortable he was.

"Isaac, are you alright?," Scott asked. He was thankful that he wasn't the only one that noticed it.

"Yeah, I'm good. It's just the smell of Stiles' blood. It makes me feel like I need to protect him or something. Don't you feel it?"

Scott shook his head. "It isn't like I'm compelled to protect him. I do it because he's my friend."

"Stupid pack dynamics. Let's hurry up and make sure the body is still buried so that I can let my dad know that everything is still contained."

Stiles allowed Scott and Isaac to both lead him deeper into the forest. He felt like he was about to have a heart attack as three figures emerged from the trees and only when he recognized the glowing red eyes as Derek's did he remember to take a moment to breathe. "Jeez! Are you guys trying to give the human a heart attack?"

"I told you that you shouldn't come," Derek said, proud of himself.

"Besides, you aren't exactly human, right? How is that going, anyway?"

"Deaton and Lydia are still working on figuring it all out but they aren't having much luck. Wait, where's Jackson?"

"You just now noticed he isn't here?"

"Shut up. I was too busy drooling over Derek to notice that he wasn't around." Even in the darkness Stiles thought he could see the corner of Derek's lips curve into a smile.

"He's with Lydia."

Stiles froze. "Is that a good idea? This is his first transformation on the full moon."

"He'll be locked up with the rest of us during the transformation," Isaac said.

When they walked through a large grouping of trees Stiles was surprised to see that it led to a clearing. There were six holes in the ground with mounds of dirt piled next to each one. Stiles pushed his way past Isaac and Scott and ignored the way that Boyd and Erica both sniffed the air when he moved closer to them. They seemed calm but Stiles was anything but.

"Please tell me someone didn't dig up the pieces of Hunter that were buried here. Anyone?"

"Someone didn't dig up the pieces of the Hunter that were buried," a male voice said. It sent chills down Stiles' spine, especially when the owner of the voice emerged from the trees across the clearing with his fiancé. Derek immediately let out a growl and the pack began to spread out. Even Erica and Boyd seemed to be suddenly in control again as they both stared into the eyes of their enemies.

The first thing that Stiles noticed after the shock of the completely healed Hunter was that neither of them had any weapons. One look at the woman gave Stiles an eerie feeling but he couldn't place what it meant. "You led us into a trap," Boyd growled.

"Hey, this isn't my fault," he said, though he knew it wasn't exactly true.

"What do you want?," Derek asked, and his eyes flashed red. The Hunter and his fiancé, if she really was that to him, seemed unimpressed.

"We've lured you here to kill one another. Normally it wouldn't be possible for me to inflict that much control over a pack of werewolves but we're in luck. You're all under the pull of the full moon and I happen to be able to draw power from it for my spell."


	2. Chapter 2

Title: **Hindsight**** - II**

Author: tmjohn72

Rating: T

A/N - Here we go. This chapter will have an event that will shape the rest of the story. I admit that the beginning chapters are somewhat light on visions but don't worry, there will be some and those that I used were picked because they moved the story along. There are times where I write the visions first and then shape the story around it. Other times the story is down first. i try to use them sparingly so that they have meaning.

Please remember to review. It makes my day. ;)

* * *

Stiles felt static energy as it the air around them became thin. His head buzzed as the energy hit him and when he focused he could see a steady stream of magical energy in his direction, more than was directed at anyone else. He collapsed to the ground, dizzy from the spell, but it quickly passed. He stood and his eyes widened when his pack turned on each other. Boyd and Erica, having been closest to each other at the time the spell was cast, were clawing and biting at one another as their claws ripped into the other's clothes and skin. Derek and Isaac were clawing and attacking and Scott was doing the same, not caring who he maimed in the process by taking advantage of their state of distraction.

The witch was smiling when she caught Stiles' horrified expression but it quickly faded.

"Why isn't he affected? You said that he was part of the pack and that your spell would affect him," the Hunter said.

"You didn't tell me everything. You don't know how special he is," she said. Stiles allowed himself to fully feel the anger at what was happening. He focused it into his power and used it to pull the witch towards him. She clawed at the ground after moving half the distance and managed to keep herself from being pulled any further. The Hunter reached into his jacket and produced a gun.

"Reverse the spell or I'll kill you both," Stiles said. He meant it.

With a flick of his finger the gun flew out of the Hunter's hands and became lodged in the branches of the tree above his head. The witch began chanting something and the pack instantly became docile, as though their fury had been pulled out of them. Then they all began to look at Stiles. Snarls filled the clearing as they ran for him. Stiles panicked and ran to the witch. His hands closed around her neck and he felt the sudden rush of power from their physical connection.

One look at the pack sent them all to the ground and held them there no matter how hard they fought against the invisible force keeping them trapped. "Free them," he said, and when she laughed his anger took over. He felt his palms heat up and it wasn't long before the witch was screaming. The Hunter rushed over to them but it was too late. Stiles felt all of her power funnel into him and when he let go, she collapsed and her skin turned a shade of pale blue.

"No!," the Hunter screamed. He turned and ran deeper into the forest. Stiles felt everything around him turn off as he slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

When he tried to open his eyes the bright light above him burned. He closed them and sat up. His senses were on overdrive but after inhaling a few deep breaths they returned to normal. "...absorbed the witch's power. Somehow it broke the spell that she had all of us under."

The voice was Scott's. It was coming from the next room and he could hear it clearly because the door to the exam room was wide open. He jumped down from the table and walked out of the room. "How long was I out?"

"A little over two hours. We brought you to Deaton," Derek said.

"Which explains why I woke up at the clinic. Did you catch the Hunter?"

"He was gone by the time the spell broke. We were concerned with you so we didn't go after him."

"I'm fine. I don't know how I killed the witch, though."

"You absorbed her power," his father said, somewhere between a state of disbelief and acceptance. "I did?"

"It was nothing more than a natural instinct to survive," Deaton began, "and you're lucky that you had it or else you would all have been killed."

"So I sucked up all her power and she dried out? That's disgusting."

"Something like that. Stiles, the good news in all of this is that it's helped me narrow down the lineage that you seem to have. It's consistent with the oracles from eons ago when magic was practiced openly. The more proper term would be seer."

"Great. So why didn't I have a vision about the danger we were going to walk into? That would have been a big help."

"That's the downside of flipping the switch and turning off your power."

"Will the power he absorbed from the witch hurt him?," Derek asked.

"I have no way of knowing. It's likely the power will be there until he needs to utilize it."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning your spark just became an inferno. Every human being has inherent magical potential but you are better at it than most because of what you were meant to become. Your gifts are still developing and while all of this power might jumpstart some of the potential that you possess, I don't think it will drastically change you. After all, magic itself isn't evil."

"Can we go home now? I'm kind of over talking about all of this."

"I'll follow you home," his father said. He nodded and walked over to Derek. He allowed himself to be pulled into a hug but Stiles sensed his distance. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just thankful that you're alright."

"Derek, you can't be mad that I went with you tonight."

"You could have been killed!"

"You all would have been if I didn't go. I'm not weak human Stiles anymore. Tonight should prove that to you."

"We'll talk about this tomorrow," Derek said, and he was gone. Stiles rolled his eyes and then he froze when Erica hugged him. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Thanks. I'm glad you are too," he said, and she smiled before leaving with the rest of the pack.

"Thank you," his father said, shaking Deaton's hand.

"It's my pleasure, Sheriff. Take care."

Stiles' mood shifted between a state of anger and annoyance at Derek and pure confusion over why the Alpha was so upset. When he arrived home without figuring out an answer he climbed the stairs to his bedroom without saying a word to his father. The sight of Derek sitting and waiting for him on the edge of his bed caused all that he was feeling to slip away. "Derek? Why do you look freaked out?"

"I keep putting you in danger. I can't keep allowing you to put yourself in harm's way."

"You are the most frustrating guy I have ever dated," he said, sitting next to him.

"I'm the only guy you've ever dated, Stiles."

"I know. I can't figure out if that makes it better or worse."

"You know that you're important to all of us, Stiles. I can sense the pack's instinct to protect you. Even Scott feels it although he doesn't understand where it comes from. He thinks its just because he's your friend."

"So what...you just want me to sit around and wait for you to come home every night? I'm not that kind of guy, Derek. You should know that."

"I do! I just can't handle the thought of you leaving me."

Stiles slipped his hand within Derek's. "I'm not going to leave you. I'm stronger now...something more than just human."

"That's what worries me. We know nothing about where this comes from or what your limits are."

"So we'll figure it out. Deaton's finally able to put a name to what's happening to me. This is a good thing."

"Now there's a Hunter out there. One that knows all of our faces and all of our weaknesses. One that wants you dead."

"We couldn't have figured out that he had a witch reviving him. How could he even work with a witch anyway?"

"He saw the benefit of having her on his side. She would heal him and bring him back to life, not to mention unleashing her full power on his enemies. That makes her a pretty important ally even if he did secretly hate her. Maybe he thought it was better to use her than to let all of her potential go to waste or be used against him?"

"You're probably right. Which is why you should let me help you find him."

"No. Tomorrow night is the full moon. I have to take care of the pack and you have to promise me that you aren't going to go after the Hunter on your own."

"I promise, not that I'd need to. He knows what tomorrow is and he knows that it's the perfect time to attack."

"No, I don't think he's that stupid. On the full moon we're all working with a shorter fuse. He should know that most of the pack hasn't had time to train themselves to deal with the moon's pull."

"Which is why it's the perfect time to strike. You all become slaves to your instincts and lose the rationality to understand his motives. If I wanted to kill werewolves I'd pick the night of the full moon to go for it. Besides, instincts are predictable, especially in predators."

"You're right. He's going to attack during the full moon."

"He might not expect for Scott and Isaac to be anchored. Still, I should be there to lend a hand."

"He knows that you're one of our weakness. You have to promise me that you'll stay with your father, Lydia, and Allison. You can keep the people that we all care about safe and that will help us stay focused. More than you realize."

Stiles knew it was useless to argue and he hadn't thought about the vulnerability of the rest of the human members of the pack. When he nodded Derek seemed to calm. When he started to stand up Stiles held onto his hand and kept him from moving. "Stay the night. Please?"

"Your father..."

"He won't check on me. If he does he'll see that we're just sleeping. Though I won't promise to not accidentally on purpose grope you. I can't be held responsible for my primal human urges and neither can you."

"You're trying to get your father to shoot me."

"He knows that shooting my boyfriend is off limits. Will you stay?"

He nodded and Stiles smiled because of his victory. He stood and pulled back the comforter before walking to his dresser and changing into a pair of pajamas. "We should probably talk about you keeping some clothes here."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not inviting you to move in. It's just that my clothes won't fit you and you should be able to be comfortable when you're over here. Not to mention having clothes that don't have your dried blood on them."

"You're serious."

"Completely. Although you're always welcome to hang out in the nude for my personal pleasure."

"Yeah, like that will ever happen. I'll be okay sleeping in this." Stiles shrugged and climbed into the bed while pulling Derek down next to him. He felt wonderful and he allowed himself to ignore the threats until the sun came up, which seemed only fair. When Derek wrapped his arm around Stiles and pulled him close he felt connected to Derek. It was a feeling of perfection.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: **Hindsight**** - III**

Author: tmjohn72

Rating: T

A/N - Stiles and his stolen power are about to raise a lot of eyebrows. I enjoy taking Stiles into dark places and trying to imagine how he' behave, especially since he seems the least likely character to hurt anyone else. The witch and the Hunter are dead and there will be no surprise resurrections of them. They've served their purpose.

* * *

The day was worse on Stiles than the rest of them, at least in his opinion. They all knew that the Hunter could attack at any moment, especially as the hours progressed without incident. Allison had been adamant that the humans come to her house and Stiles figured the best place to be was in the home of one of the most prominent Hunter families and their arsenal of weapons. Stiles was glad to be able to keep his friends safe but he felt Derek's absence strongly. One look at Lydia and Allison told him that they were both concerned for the guys that they loved as well.

They made it through six hands of UNO and the first three Twilight movies before restlessness set in. "I'm just saying that we're safer if we stick together and us being together and going to see the guys we all love would be better than us waiting here and not knowing what's going to happen to them. We totally save their butts the majority of the time and they need us whether they're willing to admit it to themselves or not. Right?"

"You're right. But we're staying put," Allison said. When Stiles started to protest she pointed to the crossbow on the table next to her.

"Are you threatening me with a crossbow? Seriously?"

"Derek said that I could use whatever means necessary to keep you safe."

"Derek appointed you as my babysitter?" Disbelief showed on his face.

Lydia rolled her eyes. "He cares about you. You'd do the same thing if the situation were reversed."

"Possibly. Look, we all know that the Hunter is going after the pack and not us. We're just wasting our time sitting around and not helping them."

As if by some cosmic joke on Stiles, the window closest to him suddenly exploded as a flash grenade was tossed in. Allison reached for her crossbow and dived behind the couch while pulling Lydia with her. Melissa, Chris and Stiles' father rushed in as the grenade flashed like a club strobe light.

"I can't use my telekinesis if I can't see...," he said, though he figured it was obvious. When Chris tried to go for the flash grenade an arrow came through the window and landed just in front of his foot. He took a step back away from Hunter's line of aim and resumed covering his eyes.

"Can anyone see the Hunter?," Allison asked, once the flash grenade finished assaulting their eyes. Stiles' vision returned to normal in time to see the second grenade flying towards the window. With a quick sweeping motion of his hand the grenade bounced away from the window and headed back in the direction that Stiles hoped it came from.

"We need to move deeper into the house where there aren't any windows."

When Stiles stood up he felt the energy coursing through his body. His anger grew to the point that his body became shaky and he had a cognizant moment where he wondered if his edginess was due to the power or to the adrenaline going through his body. Stiles watched as Chris started to lead everyone deeper into the house. He stopped following the group and turned to the front door. Both Lydia and his father sensed he wasn't with them and turned back.

"Stiles? Come on!"

He shook his head. "No, I'm done with this."

The door opened as he approached it, the use of his telekinesis easier than ever. It slammed closed before anyone could follow him outside. He felt his power holding the door closed and he searched the yard before catching sight of the Hunter. The man glared angrily as he fired an arrow aimed for his chest. Stiles held his hand up and the arrow stopped and hovered three feet away.

"You should know better..."

The arrow in front of him exploded. Tiny bits of metal dug into his skin and he screamed from the pain of the dozens of cuts that were appearing all over his flesh. The Hunter was rushing towards him with a sword in his hand and Stiles regained his composure to dodge the metal that was swung in his direction. The cuts began to itch as the metal was propelled from the wounds while they healed.

"You killed the woman I love. I'm going to kill you and then everyone that you ever cared about."

The fear and anger from the threat merged into one emotion. Stiles focused and the blade liquified when the Hunter brought it against his skin, it turning before it could inflict any damage. Since he was taken by surprise, Stiles was able to grab the man's throat and as soon as their skin touched he felt the anger unleash. The Hunter screamed as Stiles began to absorb his energy.

"Stiles! Stop!" He recognized the voice but his focus was elsewhere. When he felt arms wrap around his waist and a pair of hands attempt to pull his hand from the Hunter's throat he felt his power erupt outward in a wave. The next clear moment he had was as he stood looking down at the corpse of the Hunter. He felt pride knowing that he would never be able to hurt them again.

When he turned he felt the color drain from his face. Everyone that he had been trying to protect was unconscious and though he could see that they were still breathing, he came to the realization that he was a threat to their safety.

* * *

He ignored how everyone was looking at him as his father and Chris explained everything that had gone down to Derek and the pack. They were in the last few hours of daylight and Stiles was able to sense the growing tension from both Erica and Boyd, though all of the werewolves seemed to be a little bit off from the pull of the moon.

"I'm sorry," he said finally.

"The guy threatened to kill everyone you care about. Losing it is understandable."

"I turned a sword to liquid and latched onto a man's throat. I absorbed every bit of energy and I killed him without hesitating. Then I unleashed my power on the people that were trying to help me. I could have killed all of you."

"You didn't," Lydia said, though the growl that came from Jackson told Stiles that any action against his girlfriend would require answering to him.

"We'll talk to Deaton. We'll figure out how to help you control it," his father promised.

"I hope so."

"I'll take care of the body," Chris offered. No one spoke up to tell him that it wasn't necessary because they were all aware that Chris' experience at cleaning up messes was unmatched.

"We need to go. The sun will set in about an hour."

Stiles stood and followed Derek outside. The pack stayed in the house and gave them a few minutes. "I'm sorry," he said, as he looked into Derek's eyes. The Alpha was confused.

"You protected the people you care for. You don't owe me an apology."

"It doesn't feel that simple. Maybe you were right about me. Maybe I do need to step away from the front lines for awhile."

"If you think that's best," Derek began, "we'll figure it out. Maybe Deaton can think up a way to pull the power from you."

"No. It's mine and I won't give it up."

His muscles tensed at the possibility of someone stealing his power. He knew that it didn't make sense but he didn't care. "We don't even know if it's possible. You don't have to be afraid of this."

When Derek's arms pulled him close he felt his muscles relax. Derek's lips brushed against his neck before he rested his head on his shoulder. Derek's scent was intoxicating to him and he inhaled as much as he could. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you," Derek promised. His body went limp as he was pulled into a vision.

•••

_His breathing was heavy. His wrists were bruised from where the handcuffs had been and Stiles could see the indentations from the metal clearly. He sensed a threat and turned in the direction of the breeze. Scott and Derek were walking towards him slowly. Deaton was standing behind them with a large crystal in each hand._

_"I won't give it up. It's mine now."_

_"It's changing you. You aren't the the same person that I became friends with."_

_"We aren't friends. We aren't anything," and he felt that he meant it._

_Scott and Derek began to move apart as they got closer. Stiles stayed still and waited to see whatever it was they were planning. When Deaton was clear from their protection he held up the crystals and began to chant something. He felt their vibration as they responded to his words. Something inside of him was being summoned and he could feel it being called to the crystals. With one look both of the crystals shattered into translucent dust._

_"I warned you," he said, as the rage took over. He felt his fury unleash upon them and watched as their bodies exploded in the same way that the crystals had. The particles of their bodies dissipated in the breeze._

•••

He pushed and felt Derek back away as everything snapped back. He struggled to catch his breath and fell to his knees as the realization of what he was going to do entered the forefront of his mind. "It's alright. It was just a vision."

"Get away from me," he yelled, and he heard everyone rush out from the house and join them.

"What happened?," his father asked. He kneeled next to Stiles to be sure that he was okay.

"We were talking and he was pulled into a vision. He was pushing me away when he came back."

"What did you see?"

"I killed them. I had to do it because they threatened me."

"Who?," Erica asked.

"Derek, Deaton, and Scott." Everyone froze as they took in what that meant.

"What? That's insane! You would never hurt us," Scott said.

Stiles stood up and turned to Scott. "You tried to take my power against my will. You betrayed me." He looked to Derek and the Alpha's heartbeat increased when he saw the hurt in his eyes.

"Stiles, it was a vision. We aren't going..."

"If you try to take my power I'll kill you. All of you," he seethed. His anger didn't make sense to him but he reveled in the feeling of power it gave him. The ability to do whatever he wanted was intoxicating and he wasn't going to stand for anyone attempting to take that from him.

His father started to reach for him but Lydia grabbed his arm and kept him from making contact. Stiles walked to the jeep and drove away while they stood and attempted to understand what was happening.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: **Hindsight**** - IV**

Author: tmjohn72

Rating: T

A/N - This is the chapter that Harris finally gets a little punishment for all of his cruelty. I had doubts about Deaton and Lydia teaming up against Stiles at first but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to fit. They would be the two people that could get the job done while everyone else would be emotional about it. I think you'll be pleased with where I took it.

* * *

"Mr. Stilinski, we're so thankful to be graced with your presence," Harris said. Stiles ignored him as he took his seat. His friends all looked to him in an attempt to determine if he was okay but he avoided acknowledging that they were there.

"No witty response? You're becoming quite the mute these days. I would suggest that you see Ms. Morrell in the counseling office but I don't think she, in all her greatness, has the ability to help someone like you."

"A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?" Stiles knew Harris liked his Einstein quotes. There was a chuckle from the stoner at the front of the classroom, though he figured it had more to do with what he smoked before class than any intelligent thoughts about his words. Harris folded his arms and he took a seat on his desk.

"Einstein. He's a good person for you to emulate, Mr. Stilinski. If only you had half of his potential."

"I have more than you know," he said, and he smiled so that he was showing teeth. He admitted the effect would have been better if he had werewolf fangs but it would have been a hassle to go through it all just to scare Harris. The desk collapsed in on itself and Harris fell along with it. He stood up quickly and looked at it in disbelief as the class roared with laughter.

"Stop this," Scott whispered, but Stiles ignored him.

"Make sure to watch those calories, Mr. Harris. A single man at your age is bound to begin experiencing the loss of metabolic function. You aren't a teenager anymore." Harris glared but Stiles also saw the tiniest flash of fear as he made the connection somewhere in his brain.

When the bell rang students began to stand and leave the room. He started to follow but Isaac and Boyd blocked the door. "You need to get this under control."

"Scott, now isn't the time to preach to me about right and wrong. Not when you're going to betray me."

"It doesn't have to happen like that," he whispered, "we'll find a way for you to control it."

"I am in control. You saw what I did to Harris' desk."

Now that the room was empty except for the pack, Harris looked up from the mess at his feet. "What did you say? You did this?"

"No, your superiority complex did this," Stiles told him. Harris' face grew red and he stormed out of the room, pushing through Boyd and Isaac's blockade.

"He already doesn't trust us. Agitating him isn't the way to go."

"He's a prick. The only person he seems to like in this world is Jackson. What do you think that says about him?"

"Hey...I'm right here," Jackson said, suddenly on the defensive.

"Sorry. Did I hurt your feelings?"

"It's pretty obvious something is wrong," Jackson said.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm coming into my power. This is how everything was meant to play out until the people I risked my life for time and time again set a plan in motion to betray me. We all know that my seeing it means it's going to happen."

"That isn't true," Ms. Morrell said. She walked into the room when Boyd and Isaac allowed her in though it was obvious that she had been standing in the doorway for some time.

"Is this an intervention? How pathetic!"

"No, I heard Harris telling the Principal that you did something to his desk. It seems I'm not filled in on everything going on."

"You should find yourself a powerful seer. Oh, wait..."

"He's flipping out from the power," Erica said.

"No...ya think?," Lydia asked, rolling her eyes.

"Stiles, I can help you ground it."

"No, thanks." He started to leave when the door guards returned to blocking it. Stiles laughed and he looked into their eyes. "Really?," he asked.

"Just let him go," Allison said. It took them a second to weigh their options. They moved and Stiles left, heading for the office. When he walked in as the next bell rang he saw Harris and the Principal talking near the door to his office. They both quieted when they saw him.

"Mr. Stilinski. May I have a word with you?"

"Of course," he said, smiling as he walked in and took a seat. Harris closed the door and then took the chair next to him. His proximity made Stiles' skin crawl and he thought of a dozen possible ways to punish the man but he held back. He knew that he was acting reckless and completely unlike himself.

"Mr. Harris tells me that you were verbally abusive to him after showing up late to class."

"Late? He practically missed the entire period."

"I'm sorry that I overslept. I tried to tell Mr. Harris what was going on but he told me that I have mental health issues in front of the whole class."

"Is that true?"

Harris shook his head as though he were ready to deny everything. "Yes," he said quickly, as though he couldn't hold the word in. His eyes widened as he realized what he admitted to.

"I see. Mr. Stilinski, I must apologize for how you were treated. You have my promise that Mr. Harris will be reprimanded."

"Thank you."

"Now please, get a hall pass and get to your next class.

"What about my desk?"

"Do you have proof that he did it?"

"He admitted it to his friends with me in the room."

"He's lying!," he said, putting on the best show he could muster.

"Go to class, Mr. Stilinski. No proof means that he can't be punished and I have to admit that I'm not buying him boasting about his involvement with you in the room."

* * *

"You wanted to talk to me?"

Stiles didn't know why he even agreed to meet with Deaton. When he promised that it would just be the two of them he said that he would meet him at the clinic in an hour, to which Deaton happy agreed.

"I understand the power that you absorbed from the witch is enticing. It makes you feel as though you can do anything you want without consequence."

"Is this a lecture?"

"No. It's an offer to help."

"How?"

"I've been researching since Derek told me about your vision and all that's happened over the last twenty-four hours. I think there's a way for me to help you retain the power you absorbed but control it."

"I'm already in control. Why do I feel like you're trying to trick me?"

"I'm not. Look at this." He led Stiles to the exam room and handed him a couple of books on witchcraft and energy manipulation.

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Nothing. I just wanted you to step inside the circle."

"What circle?," he asked, looking down at the floor. After a moment the mountain ash became visible. He was trapped inside a four-foot circle.

"I'm sorry to resort to this, Stiles. I'm going to help you so that no one gets hurt. You'll find that none of your abilities will work in the circle and that you're compelled to stay within it." Stiles focused on the ring of ash and his head ached when he tried to break it. The ache passed as soon as he stopped trying.

"This isn't right. I'm not hurting anyone."

"Not yet," Lydia said, "but we all know you're going to if we don't help you."

"You called Lydia? What is she going to do, shop me to death?"

"Lydia has a natural immunity to the bite of a werewolf, Stiles. A test this morning confirmed my theory that she's immune to magic as well, including the power in your possession."

"You think she's going to absorb it from me? She can't..."

"She can with this." Deaton handed her a clear quartz crystal and she quickly stepped inside of the ring.

"No. Don't do this," he pleaded.

"I care about you, Stiles. That's how I know that this is the right thing to do. Even if you never talk to me again." He took a step away but the boundary that his back was against repelled him.

"It'll be okay. I promise."

She reached out and grabbed his hand gently. He took a deep breath and felt the energy start to move as she held the crystal against his palm. He closed his eyes and sat down as a sudden weakness overtook him.

"How do I know when to stop?," she asked.

"The crystal has been attuned to absorb whatever doesn't belong to him. It will be drawn into it and then into you so that you can negate it."

"Derek wouldn't want this."

"He was told. Derek gave us permission to do this," Lydia said.

Stiles allowed his eyes to grow heavy. He felt empty when the process was complete, as though she had hollowed out everything that made him feel confident and excited. Now he was left with the knowledge that he was no longer capable of anything. Lydia released his hand and gave the crystal to Deaton.

"It cracked," he heard Lydia say.

"They do that sometimes. How do you feel?"

"Normal. I felt the crystal get warm in my hand but I didn't feel anything else. Is he going to be alright?"

"He'll need rest. I'll take him home."

"Derek wants you to call him."

"No," Stiles said, "no one calls Derek."

"Are you sure?"

"He gave you permission to hollow me out. Derek and I are done. And so are we."

Stiles stood up and walked to the barrier. He felt it push against him but he focused and the mountain ash dispersed. "Wait. At least let me drive you home," Lydia said.

"I'll be fine. There aren't any more bad guys out there. Remember?"

"Stiles...come on."

He ignored her and walked outside. The air was cooler than he remembered, though his hoodie and multiple layers of shirts still kept him warm. He made it half-way home before he felt too weak to continue. Sitting down, Stiles watched the cars go past as he tried to think about anything except for how alone he felt. When the cruiser pulled up next to him he felt his breathing hitch in his throat as he was now forced to talk to his father.

"Get in."

Stiles was silent as he climbed into the passenger seat. Once his belt was on his father pulled back onto the road. "Lydia called me and filled me in. What do you need?"

"To be alone," he said softly.

"Are you sure? It isn't necessarily the best way to deal with what's happened, you know."

"I get why you'd think that. I had unlimited power one minute and now I have none. I'm going to need time to deal."

"We all love you. You shouldn't be alone."

"I am."

"What are you talking about?"

"Everyone I put my trust in has turned around and betrayed me. I feel like I spent a year of my life protecting the wrong people."

"You're hurt. You can't really mean that."

"I mean it. I'm done with the pack and I'm done with Derek."

"I see. Maybe you should just think about it for a while before you decide?"

"There isn't anything to think about. I'm on my own now."

"No. You still have me. I'll always be your dad and there's nothing you can do to make me turn my back on you."

"Thanks."


	5. Chapter 5

Title: **Hindsight**** - V**

Author: tmjohn72

Rating: T

A/N - I don't know about the rest of you but I like what happens when Stiles and Scott aren't the best of buds. We all know they'll always be friends no matter what, so this fight that they're in won't be permanent. Still, I plan to use it as an opportunity for Scott to show that he'll do whatever it takes to protect the people he cares about and for Stiles to show that he's grown up and he isn't going to just follow the pack around anymore.

* * *

"Hey," Scott said.

Stiles looked up from his locker and frowned. He had been cornered by Scott and Allison and by the look of Jackson and Lydia's position further down the hall, escape wasn't an option. "What do you want?"

"We wanted to see how you were."

"I've tasted unlimited power and I've had it ripped from me because the people that I've been fighting for over the last year didn't trust that I could handle it. Imagine me turning my back on you because you became a werewolf and you might have an idea of how I feel."

"You were never meant to have that power in the first place," Scott said. He couldn't really think up a valid response for that. He pulled his math textbook from his locker and prepared to leave when Scott grabbed his arm. He let go as soon as he realized what he'd done.

"Please talk to us. We miss you and it isn't just the two of us. Derek is worried."

"You should have thought about the consequences of your actions. And you can tell Derek that he can go to hell if he doesn't have the courage to talk to me himself."

He heard Scott sigh and Allison trying to tell him that things were going to work out as he headed to class. He passed Lydia and Jackson and avoided meeting their eyes even though he could sense that they were looking. He came to a stop when Morrell emerged from her office as he attempted to walk past. "Stiles. How are you?"

"I couldn't be happier. How are you?"

"I was hoping we could have a quick chat."

"I have math."

"Come in and sit."

He reluctantly walked inside of the office and took a seat. She closed the door and sat at her desk. "I want to talk to you about your plans for the future."

"You want to talk about college?"

She smiled. "No, not quite. Stiles, I know that you're destined to become a seer. You need to be properly trained."

"Is that what Deaton says?"

"No. He doesn't think you're ready, especially because of recent events. You absorbed a witch's power and it changed you. I can see the difference."

"What do you see?," he asked, and his expression betrayed his false confidence.

"I see strength. You're ready to fully embrace this."

"How do you even know I can still have visions? I couldn't levitate anything this morning when I tried."

She shrugged. "You were weakened from the transference. You were born to be excellent, Stiles. What happened to you doesn't change that."

"How would it work?"

"We would meet multiple times a week and I would help you master your abilities. It will take up some of your free time but seeing as you're on the outs with the pack, this might just fit into your schedule."

"You're glad that I'm not friends with them anymore?"

"Of course not. You've been a great ally to them but their interpretation of who you are and who you are meant to be is limited. It's time for you to figure it out for yourself."

"Okay," he said. He felt the need to have strength again and he knew that finding his own power would be the best way to get it. More than that, he also needed to be busy and avoid thinking about his everything went from good to bad in such a short amount of time.

"Good. Why don't you stop by after you're done with classes and we'll get started."

He nodded and stood up. She walked him out of the office and when he left the hallways were empty. Everyone was in class and he hurried to join them, now thinking on the possibilities that he would experience after school.

* * *

"You're not focusing."

"I am."

"You'd be levitating my desk if you were focusing."

"It's a heavy desk."

"You have it in you. Keep taking slow breaths."

Stiles glared at the desk. After a long series of deep breaths the desk began to shake but despite his best efforts it wouldn't lift off of the floor. "You did a good job," Morrell said, when she saw him giving up.

"I failed at the first thing you asked me to do. You're wasting your time."

"Your abilities are affected by your emotions. You need to learn how to move past them and only then will you regain what you've lost."

"I lost a lot." He wasn't just talking about the power. He was also talking about Derek.

"You'll gain so much more. Now try again and this time I don't want you to think of anything except your breathing and the desk." He closed his eyes in order to mentally refresh his mind. When he opened his eyes back up he did as she directed. The desk lifted three feet off of the floor.

As soon as he realized what he was doing the desk fell back down. "See? I knew that you could still do it," she said.

"You were right. My emotions are all over the place right now because of what happened with the pack."

"They're a strength for you as much as you are for them. They've given you a purpose and something to fight for. Their making a bad decision doesn't automatically mean they don't care about you."

"If they had just listened and trusted me all of this could have been avoided. I can't feel the way I do about them and not be able to trust them."

"Then allow yourself time to take a break. You don't have to risk your life for them anymore. Teaching them to rely on themselves is going to give them an opportunity to see what they're made of."

"I'm angry and hurt but I can't turn my back on them. What if they get hurt because I'm mad at them?"

"Then we'll protect them without them knowing."

"How?"

"That's an answer for another day. For now just relax and allow yourself to work through all of the hurt and confusion in your own time." He got the hint that she wasn't going to go into detail and even though it annoyed him, he trusted her and didn't want to question her like a criminal.

"Thanks. I appreciate what you're trying to do."

Morrell smiled. "I promised your mother that I would help you and keep you safe. You're a good person, Stiles."

"I miss her. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think what my life would have been like with her in it."

"She would be proud of you. Why don't you head home and rest? We can meet again tomorrow after classes."

"Alright. Good night."

"Good night, Stiles."

He headed to the parking lot with his backpack slung over his shoulder. There were a handful of cars on the street but once he arrived closer to home he seemed to be the only one driving. He turned off the radio as he pulled into the driveway. When he made it to his room he tossed the bag onto a random spot on the floor. As something wormed into his consciousness he sat in his computer chair and booted the laptop. It was when the screen lit up that he saw Derek's reflection. "Why are you here, Derek?"

"We need to talk."

"I don't have anything to say to you."

"Don't be like this. We're going to get married someday. You can't be mad at me forever."

"Wanna bet?"

"What do you want me to say? Deaton had an idea on how to help you and Lydia was willing to do it. I was afraid that you were going to end up hurting yourself or someone else. What was I supposed to do?"

"You should have trusted me!" He was on his feet now, standing and facing Derek.

"I couldn't..."

"You can't trust anyone, can you? Not since Kate..."

"Don't bring her into this," he growled, and Stiles could sense that Derek was becoming angry. With the full moon over it meant he was fully in control of himself.

"I'm not trying to hurt you. I feel like you had no concern for me and what I wanted. Relationships don't work like that."

"I only agreed to it because of how much you mean to me. I was terrified that the power was going to corrupt you and that we would all be forced to watch your humanity be chipped away until you became someone we wouldn't recognize. You destroyed Harris' desk because he was mean to you. What would you have done to a robbery suspect that was shooting at your father? You have to realize that our concern was justified."

He was starting to get annoyed with the circles that Derek seemed to be trying to talk him into. Yes, he knew that he had been different, but that had as much to do with becoming his true self as much as it did with the power trip that he had been on. "You made a decision about who I was supposed to be without even getting my opinion. Whatever chance we had is gone now."

"I refuse to believe that. I love you."

"I need someone that trusts me and listens to my opinion. You can't do that."

"So you're saying we're done. Just like that?"

"I have to figure out who I am."

"You can't do that with me in your life?"

"Just go, Derek."

The Alpha walked toward the window and he began to climb through. He stopped once he was outside and he turned back to Stiles. "You saw us getting married in the future and living happy lives. I'm never gong to give up on that."

"Then I feel sorry for you." He could hear the whimper as Derek landed silently. When a moment had passed he walked to the window and locked it. As the tears began to well up in his eyes he sat in the chair and felt all of his hopes and dreams disintegrate.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: **Hindsight**** - VI**

Author: tmjohn72

Rating: T

A/N - Stiles is back to having visions in this chapter. To be clear he never lost that ability. I just didn't want to have a vision in every chapter because it becomes tedious. I also figured that his emotions would be a little screwy with everything that he's going through and that his emotions are connected, for better or worse, to his power.

* * *

"Wait right there," his father said. Stiles stopped at the foot of the stairs and tossed his backpack onto the floor.

"Do we have to do this again?"

"Yes, we do. Sit."

"Dad, you and I talking won't change anything."

"I know," he admitted, "but I'm hoping one of these days you'll just give in and do what I say. Like a son listening to his father because he's wiser and he knows things."

"You don't know Derek."

"Believe me, I know him well enough." Stiles noticed the bruise on his father's hand and the tearing of the skin on his knuckles. The Sheriff looked away when he caught his son staring at the injury.

"Dad...what did you do?"

"I just went to talk to him. Things got out of hand."

"I am so mad at you right now," he said, reaching for his father's wound. He wanted to know what happened and he knew his father would leave something out. He needed to know the entire truth of what had occurred. When his hand touched his father's the Sheriff jumped.

"What are you doing?"

"Psychic energy is amplified when emotions such as love and anger are involved. I'm trying to..." Everything went dark before he could finish his sentence.

•••  
_  
He was outside of the Hale house and standing between his father and Derek. They were both frozen in time and all he could hear was silence. He turned back to the house and noticed the new structure and roof. The exterior painting was already finished and it was the shade of green that he, Derek, and Lydia had picked out at the paint store. A dark shade of red._

_When he turned back to his father everything came to life. "What did you do to him?"_

_"I made a decision and he hates me for it. I didn't know what to do."_

_"Talk to him! He just comes home from school and goes to his room. He's doing the same things he did before you two were together. I can't help him, Derek. He needs you."_

_"He refuses to talk to me. He's covered the window to his bedroom with a Wolfsbane tincture. None of us can touch it."_

_His father stared at the man like he was an idiot. "Have you thought about using the front door?"_

_"Sheriff, trust me. He doesn't want to see me. I've tried."_

_"Then you have to try harder. All of this is happening because he fell in love with you. Then you go and do the stupidest thing you could ever do."_

_"You know nothing about this. It's more complicated than you know."_

_"I'm not as stupid as I look. I've pieced things together from the bits of things that I do know. I'm well aware of your issues with trust and hell, you're justified! But Stiles doesn't deserve to suffer from your damage."_

_"The power changed him," Derek said sadly, "and I don't mean just when he had it. He's different now, too."_

_"Betrayal will do that to a person."_

_"Stop it. You're talking about stuff that you don't understand," Derek said, and the way that he's speaking causes the hair on Stiles' neck to rise._

_"I understand that my son is devastated. Derek, you're the only one that can bring him out of this."_

_"He doesn't believe that I love him. Just to home."_

_"Not until we agree on a plan of action. I won't have you destroying my son because of a stupid mistake. You can both work through this."_

_"He isn't my problem anymore."_

_"You son of a bitch," he heard his father say. He threw the punch quickly and it took Derek by surprise. Derek spit out blood as he tried to keep control. Stiles reached out to his father. He wanted to tell him to leave before it was too late but when he made contact with his father the vision ended._

•••

"Stiles? You saw it, didn't you?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I saw all of it. You shouldn't have provoked him like that."

"He isn't made of glass, Stiles."

"Not on the outside. But on the inside..."

"What can I do to help?"

"Nothing. I'm sad but I'm not escaping from reality. Morrell is training me to be a seer."

"I thought you already were. I'm kind of confused by all of this."

"I have visions but I'm not a seer yet. It takes some time to learn how to completely open myself up."

"Excuse me?"

"It isn't as strange as it sounds. It means opening my mind so that I can receive more powerful visions from the future and the past."

"So you're trying to become a time lord or something?"

Stiles raised an eyebrow. "I knew you'd been getting into my 'Doctor Who' boxed sets! You are so much cooler now..."

His father laughed. "That sounds more like you."

"I'm me, dad. I'm never going to change."

"A year ago I would have described you as the brother that Scott never had. Now you aren't even speaking to him. Sooner or later we all change, son."

"I know," he said, "but I'm a Stilinski. We're a stubborn people."

* * *

"I was able to focus a vision. My father hit Derek and I saw it by touching his hand and focusing the psychic energy."

"That's wonderful. Though you should be careful when connecting to raw psychic energy like that without protecting yourself."

"What are you talking about?"

She smiled and pulled a wrapped box from her desk. She turned it in her hands before giving it to him. "A present? What's the occasion?"

"Your training is almost complete."

"What are you talking about? We just started."

"You've already known how to use your abilities, Stiles. The only difference was your emotions getting in the way. Now you know how to go around them."

"That's all I need to learn? I've gone from mildly psychic Stiles to a full-fledged seer in six training sessions?"

She laughed. "You've been a seer since you first developed your abilities. I just helped you learn how to get yourself out of the way to actualize your full potential. Consider this your graduation present."

"Thank you. Not just for the gift, but for everything."

"You're welcome."

When he removed the wrapping paper and top of the plain white box he found a sterling silver chain and a clear quartz point pendant. "It's incredible," he said, immediately putting it on by sliding it over his head.

"Crystals have been used as an amplifier of energy for centuries. Seers use them for the same purpose. They're also powerful amulets of protection and keep your psychic field guarded against people that might attempt to absorb your power."

"It's perfect. I can feel the energy inside of it."

"Then you've graduated. There are some things that you'll learn along the way but from my eyes you're who you were born to be."

"This seems so surreal. I feel like I should be bathed in cosmic light or be engulfed in flames only to be reborn from the ashes."

"You don't need a transformation myth. You are who you are."

"I guess you're right."

"May I ask you a question?"

He nodded. "I'm curious to hear your decision about your relationship with Derek."

He sighed and took a seat. "The saying that love is blind is accurate. I love Derek and I don't think I'll ever be able to ignore that. I don't know what the future holds for us."

"I'm sorry that you're dealing with all of this at the same time."

"It's alright. I know that I want to keep them safe but I am still angry and hurt by what they did. I know the two don't seem like the would go together but in my head they do somehow."

"Then I think we should have a meeting with Deaton. Just the three of us to explain your position."

"Do we have to? Can't we just show up and secretly save the day without anyone knowing?"

"Sure, we could try that. Or I could speak to Deaton and you could speak to Derek."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes. You won't get resolution with Derek until you figure out how to deal with each other. This town is too dangerous for you to go without speaking to each other for long."

"I know. I'll try." He didn't know how he was going to do it or what words he needed to say. He just knew that he needed to see Derek and the longer he ignored that fact, the more it became evident to him.


	7. Chapter 7

Title: **Hindsight**** - VII**

Author: tmjohn72

Rating: T

A/N - Chapter 7 is a tough one for Stiles and Derek. Danny is causing problems in unexpected ways and the Sheriff is officially the world's best father. I also feel badly for shoving Isaac into the middle of all of this but someone needed to hear witness to everything.

This is kind of a short chapter so sorry about that.

* * *

It wasn't difficult for him to figure out that Derek would be at his house seeing as the word on the street was that the mysterious Hale was fixing up the place that almost all of his family had been killed in. That fact caused a lot of people in Beacon Hills to think that he was strange, though Stiles speculated that Derek liked everyone leaving him alone and their thinking he was a crazy murderer only helped. He tried to figure out how the pack got all of the work done so quickly when he pulled into the driveway. Even with a pack of super strong werewolves there were some things that they couldn't do, such as rewire the electricity. When he knocked on the door he heard shuffling inside and the door swung open a moment later.

He was greeted with the pair of light blue eyes that he had long ago associated to their owner, Isaac. The teenager seemed confused by his being there. "Stiles. What's up?"

"I'm sorry to just show up. I need to speak to Derek."

There was a strange expression on his face and as much as he tried he couldn't place it. Isaac shifted his weight but kept his hands in the door. "Now isn't really a good time."

"It'll just take a minute. I promise I won't hurt him." When he saw that Isaac relaxed from his words he felt slightly guilty.

"He's upstairs. I'll go get him."

"You don't need to. I'll be in and out." Stiles slipped between the wall and Isaac and he was surprised when the Beta didn't try to stop him. Rule number one about werewolf packs was that they were territorial and would protect their own. Isaac not stopping him conveyed that he wasn't viewed as a threat and that just raised more questions as to why he had been so freaked out when he found him at the door.

The walls were covered with primer and some had been covered with wallpaper while others were waiting to be finished. There were groupings of furniture in almost every corner he passed while the floor was clear. He had memorized the house plans and where Derek's room was to be so wandering aimlessly wasn't required. When he came up to the open door he felt butterflies in his stomach. He paused when he realized Derek wasn't alone.

"The renovations are great. I figured you were a guy with good taste." He raised an eyebrow at Danny's obvious flirting. He was standing close to Derek and it was clearly making him uncomfortable, though not as much as Stiles would have liked.

"I'll take the compliment even if it's unjustified."

"It was a valid compliment," he said, and when he moved closer and kissed Derek, the Alpha didn't push him away. Stiles ignored his mind telling him to scream and his body telling him to run away but one thing he wasn't able to control was his own heartbeat and the way it increased. Derek broke the kiss and met Stiles' eyes. Danny looked down nervously after seeing what had interrupted them and Derek stood there without any idea of what to say or do. When Stiles suddenly remembered that he didn't belong there he turned and walked back downstairs. Isaac was still standing by the door.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do."

"This isn't your fault, Isaac. Maybe it's better this way."

"You don't mean that."

"Stiles, wait," he heard, and Derek was standing next to him when he reached for the doorknob. "You don't understand. It isn't what you're thinking."

"So I didn't see you and Danny kissing in your bedroom?"

"We were kissing but it was a mistake. I don't have feelings for him."

"Uh, I have to go somewhere...right now," Isaac said. He walked into the living room and out of sight.

"Your love life doesn't concern me anymore. I should just leave."

"Wait, why'd you come?," Derek asked.

"Just to tell you that I'm still around if you guys need my help."

"You're here to tell me that we're over. That's what you're saying, isn't it?"

"Yeah, we're over. I also wanted to thank you for not hitting my father back."

Derek sighed and he leaned against the wall. "I said something stupid and your father was just looking out for you. I wish I could change your mind or at least talk you into thinking it over for a while."

"People change, Derek. We were trying to force something to work but we're just too different."

"I don't know what to say except that this hurts," Derek said. He was staring down at his shoes.

"We both know that it's better this way."

"I don't think it is. I think giving up and not working through our problems is a mistake."

"We're headed in two different directions. We would never work."

"I don't care. I love you."

Stiles avoided looking into his eyes. He took a deep breath and summoned up as much courage and false confidence as he could. "I'm gonna go. Be nice to the pack and try not to brood."

Derek was a statue as he left and he made no movements to follow him to his jeep. He made it half way home before he had to pull over and work through the panic attack. His breathing slowly evened out and when he stopped crying he got back onto the road.

"What's wrong?," his father asked, once he walked into the house.

"Derek and I broke up. We're finished."

"I'm sorry to hear that." The tone of his father's voice told him that he was being sincere. "Is there anything that I can do?"

"Promise me that you won't punch him again."

"I'll do my best. I know it may not seem like it at the moment but you'll get through this. There is someone out there for you and it's only a matter of time before you find him or her."

"Thanks. I should go do some homework and go to bed."

"Are you hungry? I can bring something up."

"I'm not hungry, but thanks." He walked upstairs to his room and sat on his bed. He wished that he could call Scott and request that he bring over as much alcohol as he could get his hands on but he knew that it wasn't possible. He walked to his desk and grabbed the novel he was supposed to read for English class before returning to bed.

* * *

When he woke up the sun was already high in the sky. He stretched and remembered that it was Saturday which he was thankful for, mostly because he had only read a few pages of The Old Man and the Sea. He ignored the feeling to climb back into bed and sleep away his troubles. He showered and went through his usual routine, putting on a fresh pair of clothes and brushing his teeth twice with two different kinds of toothpaste. He put the crystal necklace on last and headed downstairs.

There was a note from his father telling him that he was called in to the station to meet with a couple of new hires. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and ate it at the table. He was bored out of his mind before five minutes had passed.


	8. Chapter 8

Title: **Hindsight**** - VIII**

Author: tmjohn72

Rating: T

A/N - This chapter takes place two weeks after Chapter 7. I wanted to give Stiles some time to work on his abilities without boring everyone with all of the details. It also helped to move the story along and it shows that both he and Derek are still upset over their breakup.

* * *

_-two weeks later-_

Stiles rubbed his eyes and looked up at the crescent moon in the sky. It was only slightly visible through the clouds and the light coming from it was negligible. His research had pointed to this exact night being an important celestial event and while he wasn't sure exactly what it meant, he knew that the forest was usually full of creatures that had a knack for going crazy when astronomy and astrology coincided. It was just after midnight and when he had just about given up he heard the leaves behind him crinkle. He turned and looked into the darkness. He felt a presence immediately.

The emotions he sensed were a mixture of curiosity and caution. "Stiles, don't you know that it's dangerous for human beings to be stalking around the forest in the middle of the night?"

"Considering the moon phase I figured that there wasn't much to worry about. If I had known you were back in town I would have brought a few Molotov cocktails to keep me company."

Peter smiled and moved closer. "I've been away finding myself. I'm a reformed man."

"We both know that you can't fix a sociopath. Are you planning on staying in town?"

"I should hope so. Your absence turned the pack into a depressed group of teenagers and my nephew is just as pathetic. Someone has to step up and lead while he's wallowing in his despair."

"I didn't think Derek would let you back into the pack so easily."

"He's going through a lot and he was more than happy to have me back in the fold since I was so helpful with the Gerard situation."

"I'm sure he has plenty of sane people helping him through it. Danny, for instance."

Peter crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "You're trying to get me to tell you about Derek's love life. How clever."

"You can't blame me for trying."

"I'm surprised you're interested after what they did to you. I must admit, I was hoping to see dark and violent Stiles unleashed on Beacon Hills."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"Don't be, there's still plenty of time. Seers aren't known as being the most put together people. Anyway, I should be off...I don't like leaving the pups alone for too long."

"They aren't stupid, you know. If you're up to something they're going to figure it out."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, though the smile on his face said otherwise. Stiles watched him walk deeper into the forest until he was out of sight. He waited another ten minutes before deciding that nothing mystical was going to happen. He turned toward the direction of his jeep and walked through the dark forest. Bringing along a flashlight had skipped his mind since he had arrived when the sun was still up so he was using his cell to light the way.

His mind was open and he was sensing ahead, using his inner eye to guide himself. He came to a stop when multiple figures entered his awareness. He recognized all of them immediately. "Stiles? Why are you in the forest in the middle of the night?"

He shrugged his shoulders when Derek and the four teenagers that he gave the bite to stepped into the light of his phone. "I was just out for a stroll."

Derek was eyeing him strangely as he sniffed at the air. The rest of the pack did the same. "Why are you all staring at me like that?"

"We were running through the forest when we caught an interesting scent," Isaac said.

"Interesting how, exactly?"

"Something acidic with a little bit of human," Boyd said.

Derek was staring. "You don't smell human anymore." There was concern in the Alpha's eyes and Stiles ignored it. It was easier dealing with the breakup if he imagined Derek hating his guts and having no care for him.

"He smells like the Witch," Erica said, "the night she turned all of us against each other."

"I've been studying a little magic. Don't worry, it isn't anything powerful enough to be a threat."

"Witchcraft is something that shouldn't be dabbled with, Stiles. It's dangerous and addictive."

"Is this where I'm supposed to promise to be careful and reassure you that I'm not a monster?" He was looking into Derek's eyes when he said it. The Alpha's eyes flashed red and Stiles could feel his annoyance. Stiles took a deep breath and disconnected from his power in order to focus on feeling his own emotions and not everyone else's distrust.

"We don't mean to pry," Derek said, and he led the pack away without another word. Stiles glared at the back of Derek's head until they were out of sight. It took him ten minutes to make it back to his jeep and when he was inside he felt something force its way into his awareness. When he looked out of the front window he saw a powerful light illuminate the forest and the sound of an explosion quickly followed. He immediately got out of the jeep and ran towards the pack, tapping into his power.

It didn't take him long to follow the source of the heat. He was running at full speed, using his mind's eye to lead him to the pack, and he was thankful for all the running he did in lacrosse practice. He could sense that the pack was hurt and even though he could tell that they were all alive, he couldn't ignore the guilt he felt for not protecting them. When he came upon a clearing that hadn't been there before the explosion, he stood in awe at the pile of ash from the missing grass and trees.

He heard Boyd moan and he ran over to him. "You're all going to be okay," he promised.

Peter ran over to them and he was glared at Stiles. "What did you do?"

Stiles ignored him and kneeled next to Boyd. The skin on his arms and hands was covered with blisters but his healing had already kicked in. He moved over to Jackson, who was a few feet away, and propped him up against a tree. His face and neck were covered in blisters in addition to his hands and arms. "Hang in there, Jackson. You're healing slowly but you're going to be fine."

Peter's hand grabbed his shoulder and he pulled him up to his feet. His other hand turned him so that they were face to face. Peter pushed him so that he was against an ash-covered tree that had just escaped the blast radius. "Answer me," Peter warned, "what did you do?"

"I had nothing to do with this. Let me go so I can check on them." Peter reluctantly let go. Derek and Erica were both unconscious and by their burns it was evident that they had been closest to the center of the explosion, or whatever it was that had gone off. Issac healed the quickest and he helped take away some of Jackson's pain from his injuries which kickstarted his healing process.

"Isaac, what happened?"

"We were walking and Derek and Erica were having an argument. The next thing we knew everything just exploded with light and heat." Stiles turned when he heard the sound of Derek struggling to breathe. He could sense the Alpha's fear and he knew it was justified when he saw Peter's hand on his throat.

"Get away from him," Stiles warned.

"I'm not the one responsible for this," Peter said, meeting his eyes.

"I don't care. My concern is that your hand is wrapped around Derek's throat and I don't trust you to be anywhere near him."

"I'm his family. You're just a painful memory of his past and nothing more."

Stiles stood up. Derek was still half unconscious but he could tell that he was starting to come to. "I won't ask again," he said forcefully. Peter growled at him but he removed his hand and took a step away from Derek.

"He wouldn't have hurt him," Isaac said.

"I'm not willing to take that chance."

Peter walked over to the edge of the burned forest and sulked while Stiles kneeled next to Derek. Stiles could see that he was healing quicker than the Betas since most of his skin was back to normal. When his eyes opened he turned to Stiles.

"You came back."

"Of course I came back. I heard an explosion." He wasn't trying to say that the explosion had more to do with his returning than the injured pack but it was exactly how it came across to them.

"We're fine now. You can go."

"I came back because I sensed that everyone was hurt. I wanted to see if I could help."

"Does anyone else find it odd that Stiles was alone at this exact spot and as soon as he left it exploded?" Everyone turned to look at Peter. Stiles was sure that none of them would believe it but when he sensed the suspicion he turned away.

"I didn't do this," he said.

"He doesn't even smell human," Peter said, adding fuel to the fire.

"You think I was trying to kill everyone? You're crazier than I thought you were."

"Stiles wouldn't hurt us," Erica said. She stood up and walked to him, giving him an awkward hug.

"She's right. Stiles isn't responsible for what happened. We need to figure out whoever or whatever is responsible."

Peter was quiet as he watched the scene in front of him. He could practically hear the wheels turning in the former Alpha's head and it gave him the feeling that Peter, above all else, was to not be trusted.

"I should leave, I guess," Stiles said, after a long moment of silence.

"You could help us figure this out," Boyd offered, once he and Jackson had both joined them.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Just let him go," Derek said. The Alpha walked to the center of the explosion and kneeled down, using his hand to dig beneath the ashes.

"Bye," Peter said proudly, like a child that had won a competition and was rubbing his victory in his opponent's face.

He walked back to his jeep sure of two things. One, he didn't anticipate how good it would feel to be in the pack's company and two, he was absolutely sure that Peter was responsible for the explosion that incapacitated the pack. He knew that Peter wasn't happy being the Beta under his nephew's authority and the explosion would have given him the perfect opportunity to kill Derek and steal his Alpha status back. There was no way Stiles was going to let that happen.

_The End_

_Check out "Insight" for the continuation._

_Coming soon!_


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